The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Commerce) recently announced that 28 communities were selected to receive funding to support the development of 28 new industrial sites to market. In November, Commerce announced plans to use a portion of a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for local economic development organizations (EDOs) or consortiums of EDOs for site and infrastructure evaluations. During the application period (Dec. 1, 2021, – Jan. 7, 2022), Commerce received applications from 39 communities.
“The response to this application was impressive and really shows the commitment our communities have to growth,” said Brent Kisling, Commerce Executive Director. “With the availability and capacity of sites being an area of concern, the primary consideration for choosing recipients was size of the properties submitted. This grant will help 28 Oklahoma communities better prepare for growth opportunities, and we at Commerce will put our heads down and work to find ways to help these and other communities succeed.”
Communities selected include:
- Ada
- Alva
- Antlers*
- Atoka
- Bartlesville
- Blackwell
- Bristow
- Broken Arrow
- Broken Bow*
- Claremore
- Coweta
- Duncan
- Durant
- Enid
- Guymon
- Hugo*
- Idabel*
- Lawton
- McAlester
- Muskogee Port Authority
- Norman
- Okemah
- Perry
- Stigler*
- Stillwater
- Tulsa
- Vinita
- Weatherford
(*These communities were submitted as a single consortium by the Choctaw Nation which will act as the lead for these communities’ projects.)
The grant funds can be used to help these communities
- Identify available sites capabilities;
- Identify what industries sites can support;
- Identify quantified site gaps and limitations;
- Conduct competitive capability assessments; and
- Make recommendations for investment in infrastructure gaps.
“We are excited for the opportunities this will bring to our communities,” said Nicole Boyles, Commerce Director of Grants & Regional Partnerships. “By acquiring data and getting a clearer picture of their competitive advantages, each community can work to tailor their marketing strategies to target the right types of companies for their area. Commerce looks forward to continuing to work with these communities – helping them capitalize on the data they receive and connecting them with other possible funding sources for infrastructure upgrades.”
